East Stroudsburg lawyer wins prestigious award for community involvement

Monday

Sep 26, 2011 at 12:01 AMSep 26, 2011 at 12:29 PM

William B. Cramer recently became the fifth recipient of the annual A. Mitchell Palmer Award.

BENJAMIN BROJAKOWSKI

William B. Cramer recently became the fifth recipient of the annual A. Mitchell Palmer Award.

The award recognizes the long and significant contributions in the area of law enforcement or community service in Monroe County and is co-sponsored by the East Stroudsburg Elks Lodge No. 19 and Monroe County Bar Association. It is named after an early-20th-century Monroe County lawyer.

"The award is to honor people in Monroe County that have done something very special over a long period of time," said Ernie Foucault, a standing member of the A. Mitchell Palmer Award Committee.

Cramer is a Monroe County native with affiliations to more than a dozen community and charitable organizations.

His involvement with the community made him stand out among all the applicants for this year's award.

"Based on his credentials and history, it is obvious how popular he is in Monroe County," Foucault said.

Cramer grew up in East Stroudsburg before attending Ripon College in Ripon, Wis. He graduated in 1968 and came back East to earn his law degree from Villanova School of Law in 1971.

After obtaining his degree, he served in the U.S. Army for five years.

In 1976, he returned to Monroe County to become the president/chairman of the board of directors of his family's business, Cramer's Cashway Inc.

"I was afforded other opportunities," Cramer said. "But this is my home and I wanted to continue the family business. Family comes first."

In 1979, he opened the law office of Cramer, Swetz & McManus, where he serves as president and continues to practice law.

Cramer began his philanthropic work almost as soon as he returned to Monroe County after his stint with the Army. In 1976, he began work with the Salvation Army Advisory Board, the Kiwanis Club of Stroudsburg and the United Way of Monroe County.

He has since become involved with Big Brothers/Big Sisters of Monroe County, Boy Scouts of America, the HIV/AIDS Task Force of Monroe County and many other groups.

He is also the inaugural chair of East Stroudsburg University Foundation and the Pocono Health Foundation.

Some of his awards include the Citizen of the Year award from both the East Stroudsburg University Board of Trustees and the Pocono Mountains Chamber of Commerce.

He has received citations for service from the U.S. House of Representatives and the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania House of Representatives. Cramer also has a Hall of Fame Award from the United Way.

"People always ask me why I volunteer so much, and I always give them the same answer: 'Because I've been blessed and because I like to.'"

One thing Cramer is particularly proud of is being able to meet with students who earn scholarships created by him, including the Joan Brimer-Cramer Scholarship, which was established in honor of his mother, at East Stroudsburg University.

It is a renewable scholarship awarded to a graduate or undergraduate student majoring in English.

"The real joy is in seeing the response of the recipient," he said.

Cramer believes that everyone should start their legacy of giving as soon as they can.

He thinks anyone can donate one of his or her "three Ts."

"My 'three Ts' are time, talent and treasure," he said. "Everyone should donate one of them — and more, if they can."

Despite his outstanding history of volunteer work in Monroe County and numerous awards throughout the years, Cramer remains humble.

Although he is proud to have received the A. Mitchell Palmer award, he is more eager to talk about the previous winners and the work they have done for Monroe County.

"It is always nice to be recognized by your peers, but I admire each of the men that have won before me and am honored to be in their company," he said.

He also credits residents of Monroe County for his success in his philanthropic work.

"It is great to live in Monroe County," he said. "It is so full of caring people and institutions."